The Aftermath
by nashlie08
Summary: Set after Angel's I Will Remember You and somewhere amidst the tail end of Buffy's Season 4. Angel's day of humanity leaves consequences that no one saw coming, a child.
1. Chapter 1

1

_Angel crouched in the bushes of the Sunnydale cemetery, waiting. Buffy should be patrolling tonight. He promised that they would keep their distance after he came to town on Thanksgiving just a few months ago. He just couldn't stay away. The dreams he had been having of her, well, they were so surreal. As if something primal was calling him to her. It couldn't be ignored and she had to check in on her. Just see her. But she never came. _

_Where is she? Fear brewed within him and he set off to the Summers' residence. When he arrived, he crept up the side of the house and peered into Buffy's window just as she turned out the lights and climbed into bed. He watched her from outside the window briefly, carefully listening to her breathing and waiting for it to slow to a low, resting rhythm. It didn't take long and Angel took the opportunity to climb in. He crept over to her bedside and admired the breathtaking beauty before him. Her soft blonde hair tousled and neatly laid upon her pillow. Her angelic face in such a rare form, at peace. A smile creeps upon her face and Angel smiles too. She seems happy. He wanted so badly to crawl into the bed alongside her and forget the world and all its baggage, just for a while. But he knows that's not an option. He came to make sure she was safe. And, she is. _

_He turned to leave just as Buffy started to toss and turn in her sleep, causing Angel to stop dead in his tracks in fear of Buffy catching him in her bedroom. Just then, something strange caught Angel's eye. He gasped loudly at what he saw. The duvet that had up until this point covered Buffy's body had shifted below her waist revealing Buffy's slightly swollen belly. The gasp woke Buffy and she jolted upright in her bed clutching the duvet to her body. Fear and anger displayed clearly on her face._

**"Angel,"** She gasped.

_He was still stunned, standing in awe before her. His eyes flickered back and forth between her face and her swollen belly. It is as if his mind is trying to piece everything together. Buffy knew that he had seen her abdomen. Her face became sullen as she dropped the sheet and protectively placed her hands over her belly, stroking it with her fingertips. Angel's eyes grew in amazement._

**"It's our baby."** A smile played on her face as she spoke.

**"I know."** He whispered, backing away from her. He ran his hands nervously through his dark hair.

Buffy's face fell as she measured Angel's reaction. She stepped forward and took Angel's hand and gently placed it over her belly and Angel jumped.

**"It moved."** Angel exclaimed. His face lit up. He gazed into Buffy's eyes.

**"It does that a lot."** Buffy retorted.

**"Buffy, you should know…"** Angel started to say as Buffy cut him off.

**"I know the why Angel. I dreamt it."** She explained further. **"I started having these vivid dreams after I left LA. Dreams of you and I…you know. I wouldn't have thought anything of it but then…"**

**"Buffy it's been four months."** Angel exclaimed with a hint of pain in his voice.

_Buffy took a deep breath and looked deep into Angel's eyes. Angel watched as her eyes saddened. He didn't need words to explain what she was thinking. _

**"Telling you wouldn't have changed anything, Angel."** Buffy said, point-blank.

**"You shouldn't have to do this by yourself."**

**"I'm not. I've got my friends."** She quipped.

_Angel winces as he takes a blow to his ego. _**"I want this too, Buffy."**

**"It's not that simple."**

**"Then we'll make it that simple!"** Angel yelled through gritted teeth.

_Buffy sighed again and threw her hands in her face. When she removed them a few seconds later, tears filled her eyes and spilled over onto her cheeks. _

**"I can't!"** Buffy yelled back as she sobs.

_In an instant, Angel grabs Buffy's face between her hands and their lips meet ignited by pure passion. Angel pulls away quickly as this can lead nowhere good. _

**"Buffy, we can't do this." **

_The realization washes over Buffy and she too pulls away. She nods, acknowledging him. She steadies her breathing and gives him her pouty look that she knows he can't deny._

**"Lay with me."** She insists, hesitating. **"Just for a little while?"**

_Angel guides her to her bed and watches as she climbs in, then joins her. He wraps his arm around her, cradling her body against his with her head on his chest. She sighs tiredly and closes her eyes, drifting off into a deep sleep. Her dreams taking over…_

_A fair-haired little girl running wild in a field basked in the warm rays of the sun. Her giggles erupting as she glances behind her… Angel. Angel is chasing her. It's a bright day full of sunshine and he's not combusting. He's smiling and laughing along with the beautiful little girl. She squeals as he catches up to her and scoops her up into his arms holding her up in the air. Both look in my direction and I feel so warm and at peace with my life. The girl clambers down from Angel's arms and bounds toward me holding her hand out to me and pulling me towards Angel…_


	2. Chapter 2

The sun peered through the white linen curtain strung over the windows that Angel had come into Buffy's bedroom through just hours ago. Buffy's eyes slowly flit open and she yawned, stretching out in her bed. In an instant she realized that it was daylight.

"Angel!" She gasped as she turned to look at the other side of the bed. No Angel. No ashes.

_Where did he go, she thought._

She glanced around the sunlit room but her eyes were too sensitive to the light this early in the morning. "Angel!"She cried again, worry setting in.

_What if he left. What if he was so mad about my secret that he…no he wouldn't. _

Buffy knows that if there's one thing she's sure of about Angel it's his dire need to protect Buffy, especially now. _Now that I have you…_She thinks to herself as she lovingly strokes her belly. The small child growing inside of her moves at her touch and she smiles.

_I'll never have to be alone again. _And that is a remarkable feeling.

"Buffy," Angel whispers from somewhere Buffy can't quite figure out.

"Angel? Where are you?" Buffy whispers back, her eyes scanning the bedroom.

"I'm, I'm in the closet." He says rather uncomfortably and Buffy can almost sense a twinge of embarrassment. It makes her smile again.

Buffy walks over to the windows and draws the curtains closed, ushering the beautiful sunlight from the now dark and dreary bedroom. She frowns at the painful thought intruding on her.

_Get used to the darkness, Buffy. This is what your life will be like now, full of darkness…_

"What's the matter?" Angel asks with his velvet soft whisper as he emerges from the closet and approaches Buffy warily.

Thankfully, Buffy is abruptly pulled from her dark thoughts. "Nothing now," she smiles warmly at him, "I've got you."

"And him." Angel says in awe, placing a gentle hand over Buffy's abdomen.

"Or her!" Buffy exclaims, bursting into a fit of giggles. "I don't know yet."

Angel's face lights up for a moment then retracting, becoming much more serious. Buffy has seen this face one million times too many.

"Angel, don't" She urges, taking a step away from him as she speaks.

"We can't be together, Buffy. Especially now."Angel says, his eyes flooded with grief and sorrow. Buffy could tell that his heart and soul were fighting his every word, making it that much more painful for him."It's too much of a risk. We can't work side by side Buffy. It just doesn't work. We distract each other, you know that. And one day it's going to get one of us killed, possibly both. And now…and now we've got this beautiful new life growing inside of you and it's…it's the most amazing thing I've ever done, dead or alive."

Buffy is speechless as this revelation and also to the fact that he is right, whether she likes it or not. Angel reaches slowly for Buffy's chin, tilting it forward so she is forced to look into his eyes. For a moment which feels like forever, they just stare into each other's eyes and neither of them says a word.

"Buffy are you awake, sweetie?" Joyce yells up the stairs. Buffy and Angel both jump, now alert that the world in fact has not stopped around them.

"I'm fine Mom." Buffy yells, rolling her eyes.

"I have a show at the gallery in a little while. Did you want me to drop you off at your dorm on the way?" Joyce asks.

Buffy's expression is bleak as she realizes she has to cut her time with Angel short. "I'll be right down." She says as she doesn't take her eyes from Angel's.

"You have to go." Angel says, matter-of-factly. His face shows streaks of disappointment, but also relief it seems.

Buffy nods, solemnly. "I have class…but I could come back tonight." She urges him to stay.

He shakes his head at her. "I told you Buffy, we can't do this. I should go."

"How? It's daylight." Her voice incredulous.

"I'll stay here until the sun goes down and then I'll go back to LA, where I belong."

Buffy's expression turns to anger as she feigns off tears. They prick eagerly at the corners of her eyes but she does her best not to acknowledge them. Her voice fails her as her throat constricts and she cannot bear to speak in fear of crying. She reaches behind Angel and grabs her coat from the chair behind him. She quickly throws it on and turns her back to him, heading for the door. She grasps the handle, starting to turn it.

_Don't look back. Don't look back. _

Drawing a deep breath, she opens the bedroom door and walks out, leaving Angel alone in her room to sulk.


	3. Chapter 3

Buffy stares up at the ceiling, lost in her own thoughts. She's spread out on her bed in the dorm room she shares with Willow on campus. Finally she has some time alone to think of everything that has happened last night and this morning. _And to think, this time yesterday all I was stressing out about was my midterm and now here I am skipping my midterm to ponder the idea of my future with Angel. I mean, it was so much easier just pushing him out of my mind. Pretending that it was Parker perhaps that knocked me up. _Buffy snorts. _Who would have thought I would hope for that? I just don't know what I want at all. Do I want to try to make a relationship work with Angel when I know it just spells bad news? Am I even ready to be a mother so soon? I'm still so young…I have college to finish. I have a life to make for myself. I can't do that and make a life for my child. All whilst battling the forces of evil…_

These thoughts bring back memories of just three months ago…

"What does it say Will?" Buffy asks anxiously pacing the floor of the dorm room. Willow stands patiently, holding the stick in her hands waiting for the results to show. She says nothing to Buffy as she waits. As the results are clear, Willow's face becomes ashen. She looks up and Buffy stops pacing. "Well?"

"It's positive, Buffy."

Buffy sinks onto the floor in a heap of sobs. Willow places the stick on the desk nearby and bends down to comfort her best friend, stroking her hair.

"How could I have been so stupid!" She sobs, holding her head in her hands, knees bent to her aching chest.

"You mean about Parker?" Willow asks softly.

"He used a condom. I don't know what happened." She says as she begins to collect herself enough to pull herself off the floor and onto her bed. Willow moves beside her on the bed.

"It's not always a hundred percent, Buffy. Sometimes it just happens." She says, her heart aching to see her friend so upset. "What are you going to do now?"

Buffy pauses to think. _I don't know what to do. I don't know what to say. I just don't know anything anymore. How will this affect my slaying? Giles…Oh Giles will be so mad. And my mom. Oh, my poor mother. Little baby what am I going to do with you? Get rid of you? Keep you? Give you away to some nice people that aren't nearly as messed up as me? Oh there are just too many decisions…_

"Buffy?" Willow says, prompting a response.

"I don't know Willow. I don't know."

Buffy is pulled from her memory as the door to the dorm room swings open and Willow flies in like a tornado. Her eyes meet Buffy's and worry is written on her face.

"Buffy are you okay?" She urges.

Buffy sweeps a tear from her cheek as she sits up in the bed. "Not so much." She tries to give her friend a reassuring smile but it's weak.

Willow sits beside Buffy much like she did three months ago and strokes Buffy's hair out of her face. "You missed the midterm."

"I know." Buffy whispers.

"You've been studying for that all week." She says, "And you didn't come home last night."

"Riley and I went to visit my mom last night after patrol. It got late and I've been so tired lately with the dreams…I just stayed in my old room."

"And?" Willow added.

"I had one of those dreams again with Angel. But when I opened my eyes, he was there. Really there."

"In the dream." Willow said, trying to understand where this was going.

"No. Really there. In my bedroom." Buffy said each word carefully, slowly as if reassuring herself that it was real, too.

Willow is speechless. Her eyes are wide with alarm. "Did he-"

"He saw." Buffy said, nodding. She wraps her arms around her stomach, protectively. "I explained everything that I could. He filled in the rest."

"About the day he was human?"

"Yes," Buffy said breathlessly, "Willow I don't know how to feel." A sob escapes Buffy's throat and the floodgates open. Tears pour down her soft rosy cheeks and Willow pulls her into her arms.

"Shhh," she whispers, "What did he say?"

"He said it didn't change anything. He said it didn't matter. It was safer to be apart." Buffy continued to cry.

"Maybe he's right, Buffy." Willow said carefully, expecting backlash.

"That's the worst part." She says as she pulls herself away from her friend. She takes a deep breath. "He's right about everything. That's why I made the decision to give this baby up for adoption in the first place. Being a slayer doesn't mix well with being a mother."

"But seeing Angel changed your mind." Willow ponders.

Buffy smiles at the memory of Angel's words to her last night. _This baby is the most amazing thing I've ever done, dead or alive. _"It brought everything home. Seeing him in my old room like before…and hearing him talk about the baby. I wanted so badly to just throw everything away for him. Riley, college, slaying…I wanted to make my own little world with our little family."

Willow's eyes sadden. She knows how unrealistic this is, but she doesn't have the heart to say it. "Talk to him, Buffy."

"I can't." Buffy says, turning around to peer through the window behind her. The sun was starting to set. "He's already gone."

"Looks like you're going to LA." Willow said, matter-of-factly.


	4. Chapter 4

**Five months later…**

Buffy circles the cemetery for the tenth time tonight. She's exhausted. Walking these days could better be described as waddling. Buffy stops suddenly in her tracks and listens. _It may just be my maternal instincts kicking in but I swear I feel like I'm being watched. Maybe it's Angel…_she let herself think for a moment. _No, he made it pretty clear last time he was here that he didn't want to see me. Even after he found out I was pregnant. I should have gone to see him like Willow suggested. _She still kicks herself over that. _It wouldn't have changed anything. I have to remember that. I just have to forget about this whole nightmare as soon as it's over. _

The baby sends a swift kick to Buffy's ribs and she braces herself for a minute, resting her hands on her knees. "Sorry baby." She says gingerly. "I didn't mean it like that. You are the most precious thing I have in this world. I wish with all my heart and soul that I could keep you." _But I can't keep you sweet baby. I have found you a nice normal family far away from the Hellmouth. Far away from any danger. _

_Buffy thinks back to the day the oracles summoned her…_

Every night Buffy has had the same dream. _I know pregnancy has been known to give you intense dreams but these…these are beyond that. Almost like a memory. It always starts with Angel's face in the shadows…and then it happens. He walks out of the darkness and into the sunlight. He doesn't burn…but he smiles. He smiles this gorgeous gleaming from ear to ear smile! It's radiant and I feel a smile creep upon my face too. The dream starts to flash at that point, like a slide show of pictures moving quickly across my mind. All of Angel and myself together...and I mean, together-together. The table, the bed, table again…Oh my. And then I feel a sharp stabbing pain in my heart that sucks all the air from my breath…and just like that I'm awake. The dream is over and I am awake and alone in my bed. _

Buffy didn't know what to make of her dreams but night after night they persisted. As she does every night, she climbs in bed awaiting the same dream. Little does she know, tonight is different. As she closes her eyes, there is a loud sound that resembles a popping balloon. Reflexively, Buffy's eyes spring open and she has to shield her eyes from the bright white light that surrounds her. In front of her, there are two beings of teal and silver coloring. One a woman, one a man. They are dressed in what appears to be togas, like in greek mythology.

"Chosen one." They greet in unison.

"How did I get here?" Buffy questions.

"We summoned you, Chosen one." The female says, monotone.

"We have used a great deal of magics in doing so. It has taken some time." The male follows.

"My dreams…" Buffy guesses. _Where is this going?_

"We have been waiting for you for nearly three months." The female says, impatience high in her voice.

"Is this about my baby?" Buffy asks, clutching her slightly rounded belly protectively.

"We are the oracles. Messengers from the Powers that Be." The man states.

"We have been told that the prophecy has begun. The prophecy of the Golden one."

"The Golden one? Is that what this is?" Buffy asks, looking down miraculously at her belly.

"It is." Says the male.

"In order to understand the importance of this prophecy you must first see something…" The female says as she holds both of her metalic shimmering hands out to Buffy, palms up. Reluctantly, Buffy places her hands over the oracle's and in an instant she is transported to the dream she's been having but this time in real-time and she can feel every emotion and every touch, taste, and smell. _I can feel his heart beat…His warm skin on mine…_

Buffy gasps as the vision is pulled away from her and she is back in the brilliant white light where the oracles stand.

"You see, Chosen one, why this child is such a precious gift." The female says.

"Are you saying that this child in inside of me…is Angel's?" Buffy asks incredulously.

"That is exactly what we are saying." They say in unison.

"And this prophecy…" Buffy ponders.

"This child will be a great force of good in the world. Evil will seek to destroy it. This child will yield a great deal of power, more than you could even imagine."

"How-" Buffy starts to ask as suddenly she is in darkness. She looks around frantically and she realizes she is in her bed. Tears prick the corners of her eyes as she begins to wrap her head around what has just happened. _These last two months I had assumed Parker to be the father of my child…and this whole time…this little person growing inside of me belongs to Angel. A product of love not lust. _

Buffy rubs her belly fondly and starts to drift off into a dream she knows so well now…a dream she can now understand and cherish every night. A dream where a beautiful girl and a perfect human man spend a day of pure bliss with not a care in the world…

Just as Buffy approaches the far end of the cemetery she is snapped out of her memory of the oracles as a vampire is climbing from his grave. Doing the best she can at this stage in her pregnancy, she hurries to catch him off guard but fails miserably. He gets the upper hand on her with a backhand to her jaw sending her ass to the ground with a thud. Shaking it off, she struggles to get up. Her heart starts to pound as he lunges toward her again when all of a sudden he bursts into dust over her. When the dust settles, Angel is standing before her. He extends a hand to her and she takes it.

"Angel." She says as he hoists her up onto her feet once again.

"Buffy," he says monotone. "Something's happening."

Buffy's face falls. She's far too big and far too sore for something to be happening. Other than this baby. That she would gladly welcome right about now. Her giant baby belly is really getting in the way when it comes to slaying.

"What is it Angel?" Buffy asks, returning his business-like demeanor with one of her own.

He tries not to stifle a grin. "A great force of evil is coming into town."

"What else is new? That's not much different than any other day Angel."

Angel pauses for a moment. "They're coming for the baby."

Time stops as Angel's words register within Buffy. _They're coming to take my baby. Why do they want my baby? Leave me baby alone!_

"Buffy we need to go somewhere safe. Now." He said, taking her hand and ushering her out of the cemetery.

They arrive in the abandoned run down warehouse. It's cold and dark. Quite frankly, it's really creepy. Angel pulls her into the shadows, out of the light that shines in the window from the streetlamp. Every now and then Angel peers out the window. He looks down at Buffy and a glimpse of a smile appears on his face.

"You look beautiful as ever, Buffy."

Buffy's cheeks flush. "Stop it." She says, smacking him on the shoulder.

"I mean it." He whispers and she smiles at him.

"Angel-"

"Quiet!" Angel says abruptly as Buffy speaks. She quiets immediately and listens. She tries to look out the window and see what Angel is seeing but he holds her behind him and away from the window. There is a knock on the door and both Angel and Buffy still immediately. After the knock there is a loud crash and Angel rushes over to the heavy steel door where the crash came from and the window next to the door is smashed out.

"Stay back!" Angel demands, holding his hand up to Buffy as she tries to follow him. The large garage type door in the front end of the warehouse begins to left up and as the door lifts it is obvious that whoever is lifting it is strong, very very strong. But before she can see who is on the other side of the door, Angel slams it back down, trapping the person or thing's hands under the door. They scream a bloodcurdling scream and Angel winds some sort of rope around a lever and it seems to hold the door from lifting.

"Angel!" Buffy screams, ushering him to stay away from the door.

"Buffy I have to fight them off!" Angel yells back in a panic.

_Them?! There's more than one. How many people are after my baby? And then, when you think it just couldn't get any worse…I feel like I just peed. I look down and even in the dark lighting of the warehouse I can see that my water has broken. I'm in labor._


	5. Chapter 5

"Angel!" She screams louder and more urgent than before but Angel ignores her as he ropes off the last section of the garage style door. She screams for him again and he glances over at her and he sees the floor wet beneath her. He rushes to her side and puts both hands on her belly. Her belly is tight and hard as a baseball. _She's in labor. _

"No, Buffy, not now. Not here!" He exclaims, throwing his hands into his hair, fisting it furiously.

"Do you really think I want to give birth in a warehouse?!" Buffy screams as a surge of pain targets her belly. She breaths deeply and it passes.

"We need to get out of here." He says, trying to gather his thoughts. _I can't keep these creatures out of here for long. It's not safe here. _Angel looks around the warehouse to check that all exits are secure. _Garage doors on the front, check. Back exit, check. _He looks up to the ceiling and there's a giant glass window in the roof. There's no way to secure that. _Sooner or later one of them is going to figure that out. I'd rather not bank on the later. We can't stay here. But I don't know how many of them are out there already and in Buffy's current condition we just wouldn't get very far. _

"What are we going to do?" Buffy asks sheepishly, tears pricking her eyes and fear emanating from her bleak expression.

"We're leaving." Angel says bluntly. Buffy's eyes are wide and she knows this is their last resort of getting out alive. Angel grabs her hand and pulls her in the direction of a ladder cemented onto the wall of the warehouse. Instinctively, Buffy glances upward to see where the latter leads. _To the window in the roof. _

"Angel I'm never going to make it off the roof!" Buffy gasps. Angel ignores her and keep pulling her hand in the direction of the ladder. She stops in her tracks and gives Angel's hand a swift pull backwards and he halts for a split second, turning back to gaze into her eyes.

"Buffy," he starts, "I won't let anything happen to you. As long as I'm here, you are safe with me. Always."

Buffy takes a deep breath and Angel turns forward again pulling Buffy with him once more. She goes grudgingly. As they approach the ladder Buffy stops, gripping her belly. She winces and Angel pauses for the contraction to pass. As it subsides, Angel ushers Buffy to climb the ladder first as he guides her up the rungs. She pops the window open from the latch at the far end and it lands with a bang on the cement on the rooftop. Peering out to check her surroundings, Buffy sees no activity on the rooftop and climbs out onto the roof. Angel is right behind her.

The roof is bare aside from some pipes, with a waist-high ledge surrounding the building. It's quiet up here away from the rustle and bustle of downtown Sunnydale below. Angel moves quickly to the edge of the building and peers over the ledge. Once satisfied with what he sees, he moves to the other side, and again to the other two until he has surveyed all sides of the rooftop.

"My car is parked only a mile from here, I think." Angel says. "There's a fire escape down this side here. I don't see any of them outside so we have to move quickly."

"Where are we going?" Buffy asks quietly.

"Chances are they are watching my place. Probably your mother's house as well, and Giles' apartment. The only place I can think to go is Cordelia's…" He says carefully, gauging Buffy's reaction.

"Oh great." Buffy sighs. "Whatever, let's just go before I have this baby on this roof."

With that being said, Angel and Buffy make their way down the fire escape and safely out onto the busy sidewalk of downtown Sunnydale. Only stopping temporarily to wait out Buffy's contractions, they finally make it to Angel's car parked on a side street off Forest Square. Angel helps Buffy into the passenger side and swiftly climbs into the drivers.


	6. Chapter 6

Angel knocks feverishly on Cordelia's door. He's two seconds away from kicking it down when she finally answers.

"Okay, okay. Hold on a second." She says exasperatedly, unlatching each of the locks then opening the door. She freezes when she sees Angel with a very pregnant Buffy in her doorway.

"Cordelia, we need to come in." He says softly.

"Sure, of course." Cordelia says, still shocked. She closes the door behind them and makes some room on the couch for them to sit. Buffy does so eagerly but Angel chooses to pace the living room casting an eye out the large bay windows every now and again.

"I take it he didn't tell you." Buffy says, laughing a little.

Cordelia blushes. "Sorry." She gives Buffy an apologetic look and then her eyes find Angel's and her expression angers. "What the hell is going on?"

"There's a faction of demons dead-set on getting their hands on this baby."

"You mean your baby." Cordelia says, smartly. She flashes a brilliant if-you-think-I'm-letting-you-get-away-with-this-just-because-we're-in-danger smile and he snarls.

"What do they want with the baby?" Cordelia asks, being serious now.

"I don't know. I don't know if they want to-" He starts, then looking over at Buffy before continuing.

"You don't have to sugar-coat anything for me, Angel. I want to know." Buffy says.

Angel continues, "I don't know if they want to kill it or raise it in some sick demonic lifestyle. I just don't know!" He says through gritted teeth.

Buffy whimpers and clutches her belly as a contraction comes on and Cordelia's face is ashen. "She's in labor?" She shrieks.

"Yes." Angel says dryly.

"Angel she needs to go to a hospital! She's can't have a baby here in the apartment!" Cordelia says throwing her hands up in astonishment.

"Cordelia we can't risk going out there again. We might not make it to the hospital." Angel says as he sits beside Buffy on the couch, placing his hand over her belly. He strokes it affectionately and he gives Cordelia the look of a desperate man. She can't say no to that.

"I'll get some things out the linen closet." Cordelia says, walking into another room and out of earshot.

"I never stopped loving you, Angel." Buffy whispers. Her smile is weak.

"Buffy, I've loved you since the first day I set eyes on you. And I won't stop until I'm gone." Angel says sweetly. He leans over to place a gentle kiss on Buffy's forehead.

"Angel I need to use the bathroom." Buffy says, and Angel takes her hand and guides her to the bathroom across the room. "I'll be just a minute." She assures him. She shuts the door and Angel waits outside the door.

"I grabbed whatever I have. Sheets, blankets, towels." Cordelia says, reentering the living room and placing the stack of linens down on the couch.

"Thank you." Angel says warmly to his friend. "I didn't know where else to go."

"After everything you've done for me, I owe you at least this much." Cordelia says warmly.

The bathroom door opens quickly and Buffy rushes out in a panic. "Angel, the baby's coming." She cries. Angel grabs her and guides her over to the center of the living room where Cordelia starts to lay out some clean sheets and blankets on the floor. She places a few pillows down as Angel helps Buffy down onto her back so that she is laying comfortably against the pillows. Cordelia drapes a blue sheet of fabric over Buffy's midsection as Buffy strips her wet pants off.

Angel is at Buffy's side as another contraction starts and Buffy cries out in agony. "Angel, I can't do this!" She cries as she grips his hand hard. Angel winces at the pain she is inflicting on him but she doesn't seem to notice.

"Buffy you have to do this. For our child." Angel persists.

"I thought you didn't want the baby. I was going to give it up to a nice normal couple." Buffy says breathlessly between contractions.

"Buffy I didn't mean for you to think I didn't want this baby. Believe me I want this baby more than anything. I just want you to be safe and I thought safe for you and this baby was anywhere away from me." Angel admits as he braces himself for Buffy's oncoming contraction and Buffy's grip on his hand tightens painfully.

"Angel," Cordelia whispers with alarm in her voice, "There's a lot of blood."

Angel tries to wrap his head around what is happening when Buffy calls for his attention.

"Angel if I don't-" Buffy starts to say after her contraction ceases, but Angel presses his finger to her lips to stop her.

"Don't. You're going to be fine." Angel assures her even though he's not even sure himself.

"I'm slipping, Angel. I can feel it." Buffy whispers so only Angel can hear her.

"Something's not right here." Cordelia warns.

Angel can't muster words. He just grips Buffy's hand tight and stares deep into her beautiful eyes. _I can't lose her. Not again. _

"Buffy I know you are weak and tired." Cordelia pleads, "But we need to get this baby out. You need to find some strength and push."

Buffy takes a deep breath and bears down as Cordelia lifts the blue sheet just enough so she can see beneath it. Angel is still beside Buffy, feeling as helpless as ever.

"That's it Buffy you're doing great. I can see the head." She says enthusiastically.

She draws another breath as she bears down again.

"You can do this Buffy." Angel encourages.

"Ahh!" Buffy shrieks as her body is taken over by intense pain. She uses her last bit of strength to push once more.

Cordelia positions her arms to be able to catch the baby, urging Buffy to keep going. "One more push Buffy and you'll have your baby."

"I can't." Buffy cries as her body betrays her words and she can feel her baby makes its way out of her body.

A shrill cry fills the room. "It's a girl." Cordelia announces as she swaddles the newborn in clean linen and passes her to his mother.

"She's beautiful." Angel admires.

Buffy holds her daughter close to her chest, rocking her ever so gently. _I can't believe she's here. My beautiful strong little girl._ She studies her newborn. Her hair is dark like her fathers and her eyes a beautiful hazel.


	7. Chapter 7

"Oh Buffy," Angel cooed. "She's so beautiful." He placed his index finger in the baby's little hand and she grasped it, rather hard for a newborn. "Ow."  
"She gets that from her daddy." Buffy giggled.  
"Or her mother." He gasped accusingly. "You had my hand pretty good there."  
"Sorry." Buffy said, almost blushing. The newborn let out a sharp cry that brought all eyes on her. Buffy gently rocked her back and forth, soothing her instantly. She looked back to Angel with worry etched on her face. "How are we going to protect her?"  
"We'll stay here for the night. It's not safe on the streets especially in the dark. We'll move in the morning."  
"Angel, I didn't just mean right now." Buffy whispered.  
"I know." Angel's expression was bleak at best.  
Cordelia entered the room with a change of clothes for Buffy. She placed them on the couch alongside a large quilted blanket and some more pillows. "I thought you could use these. You know, when you're ready." She smiled briefly at the new family and returned to the kitchen. Angel followed behind her, glancing back at Buffy before leaving the room.  
"I just wanted to say thank you." Angel started, and Cordelia stopped in her tracks. She turned on her heel and glared at Angel.  
"Why didn't you tell me?" She snapped.  
"I didn't know." He said, exasperated.  
Cordelia rolled her eyes at him. "Oh gee so she just got herself pregnant?"  
"It's complicated, Cordelia." Angel said, but that was all she was getting out of him tonight. He glanced at the clock on the kitchen wall. 3:14am. "It's late. You should get some sleep." Angel said, leaving the room. He turned at the last second. "And I meant what I said Cordelia."  
"What's that?" Cordelia asked curiously, cooling off a bit now.  
"Thank you." He said gratefully.

And with that said he returned to the living room and to Buffy's side. He looked fondly at Buffy and his new daughter. In seconds though, he realized something was terribly awry. The baby started to cry in Buffy's arms and Buffy didn't move. Her eyes shut and her face expressionless. Angel called out to her but no reaction. He flew to her side and checked for a pulse. Relief flooded his body as he could feel the faint dull beating of her heart. Angel grabbed the baby from her arms and cradled her in his. Cordelia came rushing into the room.  
"What's going on?" She yelled, watching Angel in a panic.  
"Cordelia! Call 911!" Angel answered. "Come on Buffy, come on. You'll be okay. You'll be okay." He chanted as he stroked Buffy's face with one hand and bounced the screaming baby with the other. "Shhh," he soothed, "Mommy will be okay baby. She's going to be okay."


End file.
